connector

Abstract

To provide a connector where terminal misalignment is less likely to occur and mounting defects are less likely to occur. [Solution] The housing 20 has a wall portion 25 having thickness in a first direction and a retaining hole 28 extending in the first direction inside the wall portion 25. The inner surface of the retaining hole 28 has a pair of second inner surfaces 32 facing each other in a second direction and a pair of third inner surfaces 31 facing each other in a third direction. The terminal fitting 80 has a retained portion 85 that is disposed inside the retaining hole 28. The retained portion 85 has a pair of second outer surfaces 89, a pair of third outer surfaces 88, and a pair of locking portions 87 protruding from each third outer surface 88. Each locking portion 87 of the retained portion 85 is locked to each third inner surface 31 of the retaining hole 28. Each second outer surface 89 of the retained portion 85 is positioned close to or in contact with each second inner surface 32 of the retaining hole 28 along the third direction. The distance between each second inner surface 32 of the retaining hole 28 in the second direction is set to be greater than or equal to the dimension between each second outer surface 89 of the retained portion 85 in the second direction.

Description

Technical Field

[0006] , , ,

[0005] ,

[0001] The present disclosure relates to a connector.

Background Art

[0002] Patent Document 1 discloses a connector including a terminal fitting and a housing. The housing has a terminal holding portion for holding the terminal fitting. The terminal fitting has a square cross-section and includes a lower surface portion, an upper surface portion, and a pair of side surface portions. The terminal holding portion includes a bottom wall, a ceiling wall, and a pair of side walls. Each side wall interferes with each side surface portion. The bottom wall has a lower interference portion that interferes with a part of the lower surface portion. The ceiling wall has an upper interference portion that interferes with a part of the upper surface portion.

Prior Art Documents

Patent Documents

[0003]

Patent Document 1

Summary of the Invention

Problems to be Solved by the Invention

[0004] When the terminal fitting is press-fitted into the terminal holding portion, in addition to each side surface portion interfering with each side wall, a part of the lower surface portion interferes with the bottom wall and a part of the upper surface portion interferes with the ceiling wall. Thus, there are many interference points between the terminal fitting and the terminal holding portion. When the terminal fitting is pressed in the left-right and up-down directions with respect to the terminal holding portion, the terminal fitting is likely to be displaced with respect to the terminal holding portion due to variations in press-fitting, etc., and there is a concern that the holding position may not be determined stably. If the holding position of the terminal fitting with respect to the terminal holding portion is not determined stably, there is a risk that coplanarity will decrease and mounting defects will occur.

[0005] Therefore, an object of the present disclosure is to provide a connector in which the terminals are less likely to be displaced and mounting defects are less likely to occur.

Means for Solving the Problems

[0006] The connector of this disclosure comprises a housing and a terminal fitting, the housing having a wall having thickness in a first direction and a retaining hole extending in the first direction inside the wall, the inner surface of the retaining hole having a pair of second inner surfaces facing a second direction intersecting the first direction and a pair of third inner surfaces facing a third direction intersecting both the first and second directions, the terminal fitting having a board connection portion connected to a circuit board outside the housing and a retained portion disposed inside the retaining hole, the retained portion facing the second direction The connector has a pair of second outer surfaces, a pair of third outer surfaces facing the third direction, and a pair of locking portions projecting outward from the pair of third outer surfaces in the third direction, wherein the pair of locking portions of the retained portion are locked to a pair of third inner surfaces of the retaining hole, the pair of second outer surfaces of the retained portion are positioned in contact with or close to the pair of second inner surfaces of the retaining hole along the third direction, and the distance between the pair of second inner surfaces of the retaining hole in the second direction is set to be greater than or equal to the dimension between the pair of second outer surfaces of the retained portion in the second direction. [Effects of the Invention]

[0007] According to this disclosure, it is possible to provide a connector in which terminals are less prone to misalignment and less prone to mounting defects. [Brief explanation of the drawing]

[0008] [Figure 1] Figure 1 is a perspective view of the connector of Embodiment 1, seen from the front. [Figure 2] Figure 2 is a perspective view of the terminal fittings in the connector of Embodiment 1, seen from the rear. [Figure 3] Figure 3 is a rear view of the connector of Embodiment 1. [Figure 4] Figure 4 is an enlarged perspective view of the retaining hole and its surrounding area provided in the wall of the housing of the connector of Embodiment 1. [Figure 5] Figure 5 is an enlarged rear view of a portion of the housing wall and the terminal fitting protrusion portion of the connector of Embodiment 1. [Figure 6] Figure 6 is a cross-sectional view of the connector of Embodiment 1, taken along line AA in Figure 5. [Figure 7] Figure 7 is a cross-sectional view of the connector of Embodiment 1 along line BB in Figure 5. [Figure 8] Figure 8 is a diagram corresponding to Figure 7 of another embodiment of the connector of Embodiment 1. [Modes for carrying out the invention]

[0009] [Description of Embodiments in this Disclosure] First, the embodiments of this disclosure will be listed and described. The connector disclosed herein is (1) A housing and a terminal fitting, the housing having a wall portion having thickness in a first direction and a retaining hole extending in the first direction inside the wall portion, the inner surface of the retaining hole having a pair of second inner surfaces facing a second direction intersecting the first direction and a pair of third inner surfaces facing a third direction intersecting both the first and second directions, the terminal fitting having a board connection portion connected to a circuit board outside the housing and a retained portion disposed inside the retaining hole, the retained portion facing the second direction The retained portion has a pair of second outer surfaces, a pair of third outer surfaces facing the third direction, and a pair of locking portions projecting outward from the pair of third outer surfaces in the third direction, wherein the pair of locking portions of the retained portion are locked to a pair of third inner surfaces of the retaining hole, the pair of second outer surfaces of the retained portion are positioned close to or in contact with the pair of second inner surfaces of the retaining hole along the third direction, and the distance between the pair of second inner surfaces of the retaining hole in the second direction is set to be greater than or equal to the dimension between the pair of second outer surfaces of the retained portion in the second direction.

[0010] According to the configuration of (1) above, the interference locations between the held portion and the wall portion can be limited to the locations where each locking portion is locked to each third outer surface, and the second outer surfaces of the held portion are not strongly pressed from the second inner surfaces of the holding holes. To put it simply, the direction in which the held portion is pressed by the wall portion can be limited to the third direction, so that variations in the holding position where the held portion is held by the wall portion are unlikely to occur. As a result, the positional variation of the board connection portion can also be suppressed, and coplanarity can be improved.

[0011] (2) In the connector according to (1) above, it is preferable that the pair of locking portions of the held portion have a thickness in the second direction and are locked to the pair of third inner surfaces over the entire thickness.

[0012] According to the configuration of (2) above, while limiting the pressing direction from the wall portion to the held portion to the third direction, the interference locations where each locking portion is locked to each third inner surface can be made as large as possible in the second direction, so that the holding force of the held portion with respect to the wall portion can be ensured without any problem.

[0013] (3) In the connector according to (1) or (2) above, it is preferable that the interval in the second direction between the pair of second inner surfaces of the holding hole is larger than the dimension in the second direction between the pair of second outer surfaces of the held portion.

[0014] According to the configuration of (3) above, it is easy to avoid the held portion being pressed in the second direction by the wall portion, so that variations in the holding position where the held portion is held by the wall portion can be made even less likely to occur.

[0015] [Details of Embodiments of the Present Disclosure] Specific examples of the present disclosure will be described below with reference to the drawings. Note that the present invention is not limited to this exemplification, and is shown by the claims, and is intended to include all modifications within the meaning and scope equivalent to the claims.

[0016] <Embodiment 1> As shown in FIG. 1, the connector 10 of Embodiment 1 includes a housing 20 and a terminal fitting 80. The housing 20 is fitted to a mating housing (not shown). The terminal fitting 80 is attached to the housing 20 and connected to a circuit board 100 (see FIG. 3) outside the housing 20. In the following description, the front-back direction may also be referred to as the first direction, the up-down direction may be referred to as the second direction, and the left-right direction may be referred to as the third direction. The front is the tip in the first direction, and in the case of the present Embodiment 1, it corresponds to the direction in which the terminal fitting 80 is attached to the housing 20. The right is the tip in the third direction, and corresponds to the right direction when viewed from the rear. The up is the tip in the second direction, and in the case of the present Embodiment 1, it corresponds to the direction (including some inclination) in which the terminal fitting 80 is mounted on the circuit board 100. In FIG. 1, reference signs X, Y, and Z represent the front (the tip in the first direction), the right (the tip in the third direction), and the up (the tip in the second direction), respectively. The reference for these directions is for convenience and does not necessarily coincide with the reference for the directions in the state where the connector 10 is mounted on a vehicle or the like (not shown).

[0017] (Terminal fitting 80) The terminal fitting 80 is made of conductive metal and is in the shape of a tab or a pin. As shown in FIG. 2, the terminal fitting 80 has a mating connection portion 81 that extends in the front-back direction, an intermediate extension portion 82 that extends downward from the rear end of the mating connection portion 81, and a board connection portion 83 that extends rearward from the lower end of the intermediate extension portion 82.

[0018] The mating connection portion 81 has a larger dimension in the left-right direction than in the up-down direction, and is arranged with the plate surface facing in the up-down direction. The mating connection portion 81 has an extension portion 84 that has the same width in the front-back direction except for the tip portion and extends continuously in the front-back direction.

[0019] Furthermore, the mating connection portion 81 has a retained portion 85 located near the rear end of the mating connection portion 81, which is positioned inside a retaining hole 28 of the housing 20, as described later. The retained portion 85 has an intermediate portion 86 located midway between the front and rear of the extension portion 84, and a plurality of locking portions 87 protruding outward to the left and right from the intermediate portion 86. The intermediate portion 86 has a rectangular cross-sectional shape that is elongated in the left-right direction relative to the vertical direction. The outer surface of the intermediate portion 86 is composed of a pair of left and right third outer surfaces 88 (see Figure 6) facing in the left-right direction (third direction), and a pair of upper and lower second outer surfaces 89 (see Figure 7) facing in the up-down direction (second direction). Each second outer surface 89 is arranged along the front-rear direction and the left-right direction. Each third outer surface 88 is arranged along the front-rear direction and the up-down direction. The left-right dimension of each second outer surface 89 is larger than the up-down dimension of each third outer surface 88.

[0020] Each locking portion 87 is continuous with the same thickness (vertical thickness) as the extension portion 84 and is arranged in a row in the front-rear direction. Each locking portion 87 has a protruding shape in plan view and is formed with a constant thickness in the protruding direction. The base of each locking portion 87 is connected to each third outer surface 88 of the intermediate portion 86 along its entire vertical thickness. Each locking portion 87 is press-fitted into each third inner surface 31 of the retaining hole 28 of the housing 20, which will be described later, so as to bite into it along its entire height.

[0021] As shown in Figures 2 and 6, the mating connection portion 81 has a pair of left and right fastening portions 91 positioned behind the retained portion 85, facing the opposing surface 35 of the housing 20 (described later) from the rear. Each fastening portion 91 is a rectangular plate in plan view, elongated in the front-rear direction with respect to the left-right direction, and protrudes outward to the left and right from the middle portion of the extension portion 84 in the front-rear direction (the portion behind the middle portion 86). Each fastening portion 91 is continuous with the extension portion 84 and has the same thickness. As shown in Figures 3 and 5, the substrate connection portion 83 is arranged along the surface of the circuit board 100 (the upper surface facing forward in the second direction).

[0022] (Housing 20) As shown in Figure 1, the housing 20 has a hood portion 21. The hood portion 21 is rectangular and open to the front. The hood portion 21 has a top portion 22, a bottom portion 23, a pair of side portions 24, and a wall portion 25. The top portion 22 and the bottom portion 23 face each other in the vertical direction. The bottom portion 23 is located below the top portion 22 and rests on the surface of the circuit board 100. The side portions 24 face each other in the left-right direction. The left-right dimension of each of the top portion 22 and the bottom portion 23 is greater than the right-down dimension of each of the side portions 24. The wall portion 25 is located at the rear end of the housing 20. The wall portion 25 is connected to the rear ends of each of the top portion 22, the bottom portion 23, and the side portions 24. The thickness direction of the wall portion 25 is in the front-rear direction. The front and rear surfaces of the wall portion 25 are both oriented in the vertical and left-right directions.

[0023] A locking part 26 is provided protruding into the interior of the hood part 21 at the midpoint of the top part 22 in the left-right direction. The locking part 26 engages with a mating housing (not shown) and holds both housings in a fitted state. A pair of fixing brackets 30 are attached to the left-right outer surfaces of both side parts 24. Each fixing bracket 30 is soldered to the surface of the circuit board 100. The housing 20 is fixed to the circuit board 100 via each fixing bracket 30.

[0024] As shown in Figure 3, the upper end of the wall portion 25 has a protruding wall 27. The protruding wall 27 projects rearward from the lower part of the wall portion 25. The lower part of the wall portion 25 is provided with a plurality of retaining holes 28 extending in the front-rear direction. Each retaining hole 28 is arranged side by side in the left-right direction on the wall portion 25. Regarding the surrounding structure of the retaining holes 28, a configuration in which a pair of retaining holes 28 are arranged is referred to as a "pair". Between each pair of retaining holes 28 that are arranged in the left-right direction, the wall portion 25 has a plurality of vertical walls 29 extending downward from the protruding wall 27.

[0025] As shown in Figure 4, each retaining hole 28 has a rectangular opening shape (cross-sectional shape) that is elongated in the left-right direction relative to the vertical direction. The cross-sectional shape of each retaining hole 28 is constant in the front-rear direction. The inner surface of each retaining hole 28 is composed of a pair of left and right third inner surfaces 31 facing each other in the left-right direction (third direction) and a pair of upper and lower second inner surfaces 32 facing in the up-down direction (second direction). Each second inner surface 32 is arranged along the front-rear direction and the left-right direction. Each third inner surface 31 is arranged along the front-rear direction and the up-down direction. The left-right dimension of each second inner surface 32 is larger than the up-down dimension of each third inner surface 31. Each second inner surface 32 and each third inner surface 31 are perpendicular to each other at the four corners of the retaining hole 28.

[0026] The spacing between each second inner surface 32 of the holding hole 28 (vertical separation distance, opening height) is set to be greater than or equal to the dimension (thickness) between each second outer surface 89 of the held portion 85. In the case shown in Figure 7, the spacing between each second inner surface 32 of the holding hole 28 is set to be the same as the dimension between each second outer surface 89 of the held portion 85. In contrast, as shown in Figure 8, the spacing between each second inner surface 32 of the holding hole 28 may be set to be greater than the dimension between each second outer surface 89 of the held portion 85. In the case of Figure 8, each second inner surface 32 of the holding hole 28 may be spaced apart from each second outer surface 89 of the held portion 85 and may be positioned without contact with each second outer surface 89. As shown in Figure 6, the spacing between each third inner surface 31 of the holding hole 28 (horizontal separation distance, opening width) is greater than the dimension between each third outer surface 88 of the held portion 85 and smaller than the distance between the vertices in the left-right direction of the pair of locking portions 87 that are arranged in the left-right direction. Therefore, the retained portion 85 of the terminal fitting 80 is press-fitted into the retaining hole 28 and locked to the wall portion 25 by each locking portion 87.

[0027] Near the front end of the wall portion 25, an enlarged diameter surface 33 is provided, which expands in diameter from the front end of each retaining hole 28. The surface extending from the enlarged diameter surface 33 to the front surface of the wall portion 25 is a short straight surface 34 that extends along the front-rear direction. The straight surface 34 is spaced apart from the extension portion 84.

[0028] As shown in Figures 4 and 6, the wall portion 25 has an opposing surface 35, a guide surface 36, and a side inner surface 37 between the rear end of the retaining hole 28 and the rear surface of the wall portion 25. The opposing surface 35 and the side inner surface 37 are each arranged in pairs in the left-right direction. The guide surface 36 is arranged in pairs in the up-down direction. The portion of the terminal fitting 80 corresponding to each stopper portion 91 is surrounded on its outer circumference by each opposing surface 35, each guide surface 36, and each side inner surface 37.

[0029] Each opposing surface 35 is open to the rear. Each opposing surface 35 has an opposing inclined surface 38 that extends from the rear ends of the left and right inner surfaces of the holding hole 28, inclined to open outwards to the left and right, and a stepped surface 39 that extends outwards to the left and right along the left-right direction from the rear end (outer end in the left-right direction) of each opposing inclined surface 38. As shown in Figure 4, each opposing inclined surface 38 and the stepped surface 39 are formed at a constant height (vertical dimension) in the left-right direction.

[0030] As shown in Figure 7, each guiding surface 36 extends forward from the rear surface of the wall portion 25, tapering and inclined so as to approach each other in the vertical direction. The front end of each guiding surface 36 intersects at an obtuse angle with the rear end of each second inner surface 32 of the holding hole 28 and the rear end of each opposing surface 35. As shown in Figure 4, the left-right dimension of the guiding surface 36 is equal to the sum of the distance between each third inner surface 31 of the holding hole 28 and the left-right dimension of each opposing surface 35. The guiding surfaces 36 are continuous in the left-right direction at the same height.

[0031] Each inner surface 37 intersects with the left and right ends of each guiding surface 36 and each opposing surface 35. Each inner surface 37 faces each other in the left and right directions and is arranged vertically along the vertical and front-to-back directions. The spacing between each inner surface 37 is equal to the left-to-right dimension of the guiding surface 36. The rear ends of each inner surface 37 and the rear ends of each guiding surface 36 define an insertion opening 41 on the rear surface of the wall 25 into which the mating connection portion 81 of the terminal fitting 80 can be inserted. The insertion opening 41 has a rectangular, more specifically square, opening shape when viewed from the rear on the rear surface of the wall 25.

[0032] Furthermore, as shown in Figure 3, the housing 20 has a pair of protective walls 42 that project rearward from the left and right ends of the wall portion 25. Each protective wall 42 is positioned to cover the intermediate extension portion 82 and the substrate connection portion 83 of each terminal fitting 80 from the left and right outer sides. As shown in Figure 1, both sides 24 have a pair of mounting wall portions 43 (only one is shown in Figure 1) that are continuous forward from both protective walls 42. The rear ends of each fixing fitting 30 are held by both mounting wall portions 43.

[0033] (Function of connector 10) When assembling the terminal fitting 80 to the housing 20, the retained portion 85 of the mating connection portion 81 is guided from the insertion opening 41 to each guiding surface 36 and each opposing inclined surface 38, and then inserted (press-fitted) into the retaining hole 28. As shown in Figure 6, once the terminal fitting 80 is properly assembled to the housing 20, the retained portion 85 is held in place by the locking action of each locking portion 87 against the wall portion 25. As shown in Figures 3 and 5, the intermediate extension portion 82 and the substrate connection portion 83 are positioned exposed behind the housing 20. Each stopper portion 91 is positioned on the left and right inner sides of each side inner surface 37, facing each opposing surface 35 from the rear. Each stopper portion 91 abuts against the stepped surface 39 of each opposing surface 35, preventing excessive press-fitting of the mating connection portion 81 against the wall portion 25. Also, at an appropriate timing, fixing fittings 30 are attached to both sides 24 of the hood portion 21.

[0034] When using the connector 10, the housing 20 is placed on the surface of the circuit board 100. Each fixing bracket 30 is placed on the mounting area (solder paste) on the surface of the circuit board 100. Similarly, the board connection portion 83 of each terminal fitting 80 is also placed on the mounting area on the surface of the circuit board 100. After that, a reflow process is performed, during which each fixing bracket 30 is soldered to the circuit board 100 and fixed in place, and the board connection portion 83 of each terminal fitting 80 is soldered to the circuit board 100 and electrically connected to a conductive part of the circuit board 100 (not shown).

[0035] Before reflow processing is performed, in order to improve board mounting, the board connection portion 83 of each terminal fitting 80 is required to be properly positioned on the mounting portion of the surface of the circuit board 100. In this embodiment 1, each second outer surface 89 of the retained portion 85 is positioned to be in light contact with or close to each second inner surface 32 of the retaining hole 28 along the front-rear direction. Therefore, no large pressing force acts on the retained portion 85 from the wall portion 25 inwards. On the other hand, each third outer surface 88 of the retained portion 85 is subjected to a relatively large pressing force inwards to the left and right due to the locking action of each locking portion 87. In short, in this embodiment 1, the interference points L (see Figure 4) between the retained portion 85 and the wall portion 25 are limited to the parts from the left and right directions (the locking parts of each locking portion 87). Also, during the process of inserting the retained portion 85 into the retaining hole 28, each second outer surface 89 of the retained portion 85 can move in the front-rear direction along each second inner surface 32 of the retaining hole 28. Therefore, it is possible to prevent the held portion 85 from tilting vertically or rotating around the axis of the mating connection portion 81 inside the holding hole 28.

[0036] By limiting the interference points L between the retained portion 85 and the wall portion 25 to the left and right directions, variations in the retained position of the retained portion 85 relative to the wall portion 25 are suppressed when the retained portion 85 is inserted into the retaining hole 28. As a result, the mating connection portion 81 of each terminal fitting 80 is properly assembled to the wall portion 25. Therefore, before reflow processing, the board connection portion 83 of each terminal fitting 80 is also positioned at the correct height in the vertical direction. Furthermore, even after reflow processing, variations in the retained position of the retained portion 85 relative to the wall portion 25 are suppressed, and the state in which the board connection portion 83 of each terminal fitting 80 is properly soldered to the circuit board 100 can be maintained.

[0037] As described above, the connector 10 of this embodiment 1 comprises a housing 20 and a terminal fitting 80. The housing 20 has a wall portion 25 having thickness in a first direction (front-to-back direction) and a retaining hole 28 extending in the first direction inside the wall portion 25. The inner surface of the retaining hole 28 has a pair of second inner surfaces 32 facing each other in a second direction (up-down direction) intersecting the first direction, and a pair of third inner surfaces 31 facing each other in a third direction (left-to-right direction) intersecting both the first and second directions. The terminal fitting 80 has a board connection portion 83 that is connected to the circuit board 100 outside the housing 20, and a retained portion 85 that is disposed inside the retaining hole 28. The retained portion 85 has a pair of second outer surfaces 89 facing the second direction, a pair of third outer surfaces 88 facing the third direction, and a pair of locking portions 87 that protrude outward in the third direction from the pair of third outer surfaces 88. A pair of locking portions 87 of the retained portion 85 are locked to a pair of third inner surfaces 31 of the retaining hole 28. A pair of second outer surfaces 89 of the retained portion 85 are positioned close to or in contact with a pair of second inner surfaces 32 of the retaining hole 28 along a third direction. The distance between the pair of second inner surfaces 32 of the retaining hole 28 in a second direction is set to be greater than or equal to the distance between the pair of second outer surfaces 89 of the retained portion 85 in a second direction.

[0038] With the above configuration, the interference points L between the retained portion 85 and the wall portion 25 can be limited to the points where each locking portion 87 is locked to each third outer surface 88, and each second outer surface 89 of the retained portion 85 is not strongly pressed from each second inner surface 32 of the retaining hole 28. As a result, variations in the retaining position in which the retained portion 85 is held by the wall portion 25 are less likely to occur, and positional fluctuations of the substrate connection portion 83 are suppressed. As a result, coplanarity can be improved and mounting defects can be suppressed. In particular, since each locking portion 87 has thickness in the second direction and is locked to each third inner surface 31 over its entire thickness, the retaining force of the retained portion 85 against the wall portion 25 can be secured without any problems.

[0039] Furthermore, as shown in Figure 8, if the distance in the second direction between each second inner surface 32 of the holding hole 28 is greater than the dimension in the second direction between each second outer surface 89 of the held portion 85, it is easier to avoid the held portion 85 being pressed from the wall portion 25 in the second direction, thus reducing the likelihood of variations in the holding position where the held portion 85 is held by the wall portion 25. As a result, further improvements in coplanarity can be achieved.

[0040] [Other embodiments of this disclosure] Embodiment 1 disclosed herein should be considered in all respects to be illustrative and not restrictive. In the first embodiment described above, the connector was a horizontal type connector in which both the mating terminal portion and the board connection portion of the terminal fitting extended in the front-to-back direction and opened in the plane direction of the circuit board. In contrast, according to other embodiments, the connector may be a vertical type connector in which the mating terminal portion and the board connection portion of the terminal fitting extended in directions that intersect each other, and the hood portion opened in a direction that intersects the plane direction of the circuit board. In the first embodiment described above, the fastening portion of the terminal fitting was positioned so as to be away from the opposing surface. In contrast, according to other embodiments, the fastening portion of the terminal fitting may be positioned so as to be in contact with the opposing surface. In the first embodiment described above, the substrate connection portion of the terminal fitting was connected along the surface of the circuit board. In contrast, according to other embodiments, the substrate connection portion of the terminal fitting may be inserted into a through-hole of the circuit board. [Explanation of Symbols]

[0041] 10… Connectors 20… Housing 21…Food Department 22...Tenbu 23...bottom 24... Side 25…Wall part 26... Rock Club 27... Projection wall 28...Retaining hole 29…hanging wall 30… Fixing brackets 31...Third inner self 32...Second inner self 33... Expanded diameter surface 34…Straight side 35… Opposite side 36... Enticement surface 37...Inner surface 38… Opposing slope 39…Step surface 41... Insertion opening 42...protective wall 43... Mounting wall portion 80... Terminal fittings 81...Partner connection part 82...Intermediate extension 83... Circuit board connection section 84...Extension part 85…Holded part 86...Middle section 87... Locking part 88...Third outer surface 89…Second outer surface 91... Stopper 100... Circuit board L... Interference point

Claims

1. Equipped with a housing and terminal fittings, The housing has a wall portion having thickness in a first direction, and a retaining hole extending in the first direction inside the wall portion. The inner surface of the retaining hole has a pair of second inner surfaces facing a second direction intersecting the first direction, and a pair of third inner surfaces facing a third direction intersecting both the first and second directions. The terminal fitting has a board connection portion that is connected to the circuit board outside the housing and a retained portion that is disposed inside the retaining hole, The retained portion has a pair of second outer surfaces facing the second direction, a pair of third outer surfaces facing the third direction, and a pair of locking portions protruding outward in the third direction from the pair of third outer surfaces. The pair of locking portions of the retained portion are locked to the pair of third inner surfaces of the retaining hole. The pair of second outer surfaces of the retained portion are arranged in contact with or close to the pair of second inner surfaces of the retaining hole along the third direction. A connector in which the distance in the second direction between a pair of second inner surfaces of the holding hole is set to be greater than or equal to the dimension in the second direction between a pair of second outer surfaces of the part to be held.

2. The connector according to claim 1, wherein the pair of locking portions of the retained portion have thickness in the second direction and are locked to the pair of third inner surfaces over their entire thickness.

3. The connector according to claim 1 or claim 2, wherein the distance in the second direction between the pair of second inner surfaces of the holding hole is greater than the dimension in the second direction between the pair of second outer surfaces of the part to be held.

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